Postpone taxes with this strategy

The tax law provides a valuable tax-saving opportunity to business owners and real estate investors who want to sell property and acquire similar property at about the same time. This tax break is known as a like-kind or tax-deferred exchange. By following certain rules, you can postpone some or all of the tax that would otherwise be due when you sell property at a gain.

A like-kind exchange simply involves swapping assets that are similar in nature. For example, you can trade an old business vehicle for a new one, or you can swap land for a strip mall. However, you can’t swap your vehicle for an apartment building because the properties are not similar. Certain types of assets don’t qualify for a tax-deferred exchange, including inventory, accounts receivable, stocks and bonds, and your personal residence.

Typically, an equal swap is rare; some amount of cash or debt must change hands between two parties to complete an exchange. Cash or other dissimilar property received in an exchange may be taxable.

It is not necessary for the exchange of properties to be simultaneous. However, in the case of such a delayed exchange, the replacement property must be specifically identified in writing within 45 days and must be received within 180 days (or by your tax return due date, if earlier), after sale of the exchange property.

With a real estate exchange, it is unusual to find two parties whose properties are suitable to each other. This isn’t a problem because the rules allow for three-party exchanges. Three-party exchanges require the use of an intermediary. The intermediary coordinates the paperwork and holds your sale proceeds until you find a replacement property. Then he forwards the money to your closing agent to complete the exchange.

When done properly, exchanges let you trade up in value without owing tax on a sale. There’s no limit on the number of times you can exchange property. If you would like to learn more about tax-deferred exchanges, contact us.

Seven Summertime Tax-savers

Summer is here and so are tax-saving opportunities. Here are seven suggestions for cutting your tax bill.

1. Rent out your vacation home. If you own a second home, rent it out this summer when you’re not using it. Generally, you can offset the rental income with rental-related expenses, leaving you with little or no tax liability.
2. Harvest capital gains or losses. Use your semi-annual portfolio review to spot investments with built-in capital gains or losses that can offset transactions from earlier in the year. Any excess capital loss can be deducted against $3,000 of ordinary income in 2016.
3. Hire your kids. Does your child need a summer job? Hire her to work in the family business. The wages earned will be taxed using your child’s lower tax bracket.
4. Send the kids to camp. Are you the working parent of under-age-13 children? You may be able to claim a tax credit for the cost of day camp. Just remember, overnight camps don’t qualify.
5. Combine pleasure with business. When you travel out of town for business reasons, you can deduct the full cost of your airfare, even if you spend time sightseeing while you’re away. Expenses for side trips aren’t deductible.
6. Entertain business customers. Generally, you can deduct 50% of the cost of entertaining customers before or after a substantial business discussion. This includes golf outings or an evening of dinner and drinks.
7. Host a staff get-together. The usual 50% limit on entertainment deductions doesn’t apply to summer barbecues and picnics if the entire staff is invited. In that case, you can write off 100% of the cost.

Contact us for details on these and other summertime tax-saving ideas.

Don’t Take a Vacation from Tax Planning

Don’t ignore your opportunity to save on taxes just because it’s summertime. Here are some summertime tips to keep your tax plans going.

If you are a sole proprietor with children, you might consider putting them on the payroll during the summer months. Wages paid to your children under age 18 are not subject to social security and Medicare taxes. What’s more, their earnings are not subject to federal unemployment tax until they turn 21.

If employing your children is not an option, you might still be able to score a deduction by sending them to summer camp. Day camp expenses for kids under 13 can provide a tax credit of up to 35%. Just remember, overnight camps do not qualify, and child-care must be necessary to allow the parents to work.

Summer is also a common time for home selling and moving, so be on the lookout for deductions related to these activities. Carefully file away all home sale or purchase papers for next year’s tax filing. If your move is job-related, there is the potential for additional deductions if you meet the 50 miles or more test.

Perhaps your sights are set instead on some leisure travel. Tacking on a few fun days before or after a business trip might be a tax (and cost) efficient way to pay for a vacation – if you follow all the rules. Travel that is primarily for charitable work might also qualify you for a tax deduction.

And finally, no matter what your summer plans are, this is always a good time for a general tax check-up to ensure your withholdings and estimated tax payments are on target. For assistance with any of these issues, contact our office.

Don’t let the IRS become your pen pal

Getting a letter or notice from the IRS can be upsetting, confusing, and unnecessary. The IRS sends taxpayers notices to request payment for taxes, to notify them of a change to their account, or to request additional information. Attention to the following details will reduce the likelihood that you will become pen pals with the IRS.

Never send a payment to the IRS without designating what it is for. Otherwise, the IRS may apply it in any manner they want. Every payment should include your name, your taxpayer identification number (social security number), the type of tax you are paying, and the period the tax payment is for.

Make sure the name and social security number on your tax return agree with the Social Security Administration’s records. If you change your surname, notify the Social Security Administration and request a new social security card.

Don’t claim a tax exemption for your child unless you are entitled to do so. Special rules apply to divorced parents. If both parents claim the child as a dependent, both returns will be subject to further IRS review.

Respond promptly to any notice you receive from the IRS, even if you think the notice is incorrect. If the IRS doesn’t hear from you within the time specified on their notice, you may lose the right to protest any changes made to your return.

Send a change of address form (Form 8822) to the IRS when your address changes. If you fail to provide the IRS with your current mailing address, you may not receive a refund check or a notice if there are problems or adjustments to your return. And even if the IRS can’t find you, penalties and interest will continue to accumulate on any tax due.

Send your income tax return and any other correspondence to the IRS by certified mail, return receipt requested. The receipt provides evidence that you filed on time. That proof will be valuable in the event the IRS or Postal Service loses your paperwork and the IRS threatens to assess late-filing and late-payment penalties.

Should you pay more attention to cash flow in your business?

In assessing their business, most owners focus on growth in sales and profits. Yet these do not guarantee business health and success. Another important gauge is cash flow. Simply put, is there enough cash inflow to cover cash outflow? Cash flow needs change on a daily basis. The more you’re aware of cash flow needs, the more control you’ll have over your business.

• Calculating cash flow. Cash flow from operations can be calculated by taking net profit, adding back depreciation and amortization (noncash outlays), subtracting increases in accounts receivable and inventories during the period, and adding increases in accounts payable. Calculations can be done on whatever operating cycle time frame is most meaningful to you (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Best results are usually obtained by using monthly cash flow statements and projections based on prior experience.
• Using cash flow. Building a history of cash flow needs by using historical financial records will provide an invaluable tool for projecting the timing of receipts, expenditures, and financing needs. Periods of negative cash flow can seriously hinder expansion plans and may even lead to business failure. Cash flow statements and projections can forewarn you of cash needs and allow you to implement changes.
• Improving cash flow. Proper management of accounts receivable and inventory can strengthen cash flow. Review billing procedures to reduce lag time between shipping and invoicing. Reexamine credit and collection policies. Consider offering discounts for early payment and charging interest on delinquent balances. Review inventory levels. Be alert for stockpiles and excess inventory. Dispose of obsolete inventory by reducing prices or selling for scrap.

Effective cash flow management will permit better utilization of cash, generate additional funds from internal sources, and provide advance notice of financing needs. Knowing your cash flow requirements is imperative for business success.

For effective tax planning, do a midyear review.

With summer vacations and warm weather just around the corner, tax planning may not be a priority on your agenda. The problem is that if you wait until December, you cut the time for planning strategies to take effect. But if you take the time to plan now, you still have eight months for your actions to make a difference on your 2016 tax return.

Making time for 2016 tax planning now not only helps reduce your taxes, but also helps to put you in control of your entire financial situation. Tax planning should be a year-round process, but it’s especially effective at midyear. Contact our office for guidance in identifying and implementing the best moves for your situation.